Your Mail 12-6-13: Our Christian beginning

Our Christian beginning

The view that the United States never claimed to be a "Christian nation" has become prevalent and expected. Nothing could be further from the truth. The following are passages from some of the original state constitutions.

Delaware: "Every person ... appointed to any office ... shall ... subscribe ... 'I ... profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine inspiration.'"

Pennsylvania: "Each member, before he takes his seat, shall ... subscribe ... 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the Universe, the Rewarder of the good and the Punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration.'

New Jersey: "All persons, professing a belief in the faith of any Protestant sect, who shall demean themselves peaceably under the government ... shall be capable of being elected."

Massachusetts (written by John Adams): "Any person ... before he ... execute the duties of his ... office ... [shall] subscribe ... 'I ... declare, that I believe the Christian religion, and have a firm persuasion of its truth.' ... The legislature shall ... authorize the support and maintenance of public Protestant teachers of piety, religion and morality."

Maryland: "No other test ... ought to be required, on admission to any office ... than such oath of support and fidelity to this State ... and a declaration of a belief in the Christian religion."

South Carolina: "No person shall be eligible to a seat ... unless he be of the Protestant religion. ... The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed ... the established religion of this State."

New Hampshire: "No person shall be capable of being elected ... who is not of the Protestant religion."

North Carolina: "No person, who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion, or the Divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the State, shall be capable of holding ... office."

Rhode Island: "By the blessing of God ... a full liberty in religious concernments ... rightly grounded upon gospel principles, will give the best and greatest security ... in the true Christian faith and worship of God. ... They may ... defend themselves, in their just rights and liberties against all the enemies of the Christian faith."

I am not advocating a theocratic form of government for the United States. I am advocating a true and accurate reporting of history.

Neil Everett, Calhoun

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